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PDRC ex-guard, wanted for attack on military officer, detained

The NationJuly 4, 2014 1:00 am

Police have detained the People's Democratic Reform Committee ex-guard who allegedly shot a military officer for moving a traffic cone that blocked his way, deputy national police chief General Somyot Poompanmoung said yesterday.

Anont "Dam" Klinkaew, 42, of Samut Sakhon province, was detained on suspicion of assaulting Colonel Wittawat Wattanakul of the Directorate of Joint Intelligence of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters.

On April 24 during the PDRC protest, Anont allegedly threatened Wittawat by firing bullets into the ground at Chaeng Wattana Soi 7. Wittawat was shot in the ankle.

Somyot told the press that Anont had confessed to being at the scene on the night of the incident but said he did not intend to assault Wittawat.

Police are looking for other suspects involved in the assault.

Wittawat, who was not present at the press conference, said in a statement that he was not certain Anont fired the gun but the guard was among the group that attacked him.

Anont prostrated himself at the feet of Wittawat's mother to apologise yesterday. She forgave him and advised him to repent.

Before police found him, Somyot said Anont had hidden at several places including Wat Om Noi in Nakhon Pathom and in Phatthalung and Nakhon Si Thammarat provinces.

He said criminal records showed that Anont was wanted on robbery charges by Thung Song Hong Police Station in 2011. He also allegedly snatched a gun from a police officer during a political riot on April 22, while he defied a National Council for Peace and Order summons to appear before it for questioning.